8 Reasons You Should Be Brewing Beer At Home!

8 Reasons You Should Be Brewing Beer At Home 8 Reasons You Should Be Brewing Beer At Home!

Why go out to the store and spend money on a case of beer when you can make it from home?

Here are 8 reasons you should be brewing beer at home.

In the past, brewing beer may have brought to mind ideas of murky corners of garages, bushy beards and crazy eyes, but it has now moved into a new world of cool. With microbrewery dollar sales up by 10% in the last year alone, it's clear America has developed a taste for the good stuff. Interest has never been higher and there's never been a better time to sample the fun, pride and great brews that come from brewing beer at home! Check out our 8 reasons why you should be brewing beer at home and you'll never look back.

1. Save Money

Developing a passion for going out and sampling microbrewery offerings may be very enjoyable, but it will impact on your wallet. Whilst there will be a relatively small initial outlay when you start brewing beer, once you've got the equipment you're all set for years to come. If you're trying to replicate generic top brand lagers, investigations suggest that cost savings may not be that great. However, if you focus on making your own versions of the costlier, craft beers, you will likely find that savings are substantial. Whatever your cost savings, money can't buy the joy and satisfaction you'll get from crafting your own microbrewery worthy ales.

2. Make What You Like

When going to a bar or buying beer in, you're always restricted by what's currently on sale. Some areas are better stocked than others, but if you live away from a major city you may find your options are limited. With home brewing, you're free to experiment with what you like until you find a winner you can make time and again. It's also a chance to experiment, create flavors all of your own, to suit your own tastes and wow your friends. If you can think it (and you have the ingredients...) you can make it. The only limit is your own creativity. It's a great opportunity to express yourself and potentially create something that no one has ever tasted before!

3. Brewing Beer Is Fun

One of the great things about brewing beer is that while there's a pleasing element of science to it (enough to make you feel slightly smug) it's not exactly brain surgery. It's straightforward, relaxing and a fun hobby that won't take all of your weekends or get you into debt (if it does, there are other issues at play). Plus, you get the beer at the end of it! You can easily team up with a friend or two to make the whole thing a more social experience and share the fun. Consider splitting the cost of the equipment with a couple of friends if you think it might just be an experiment for you. Then you can invest in your own as you become more serious.

4. Make New Friends

Connected with the last point is all the new friends that you can make through this interesting new pastime. You'll find a wealth of people out there who share your passion, have been through the ups and downs, and have a shared appreciation for the end product. Through online communities, you'll never be short of helpful tips and advice, and the occasional a shoulder to cry on.

5. Learn a New Skill

There are three different levels of home brewing that you may choose to have a go at - kit brewing, extract brewing and full mash brewing. This is good because you can get results right from the entry level, where the ingredients are purchased pre-measured and all you have to do is follow the instructions. The next level up, or extract brewing, takes the skill needed up a notch by having you add ingredients such as hops and yeast separately in stages. The end result here is more in your hands, meaning a greater sense of pride in what you have made. Once you've mastered the final skill level, you'll be sketching out a business plan on the kitchen table for your own micro-brewery. This involves sourcing all of your ingredients yourself and following a recipe. But the bragging rights are huge. This staged process means that you'll genuinely learn a lot whatever route you take and have the satisfaction of a new skill to call your own.

6. Take Pride In The End Result

Closely linked to number 5 is the enormous feeling of pride that comes from pouring yourself a beer that you crafted from start to finish. Bottle it, label it and rock up at your next barbecue with a batch of homebrews and get a kick out of people's reaction. There's even room for style and whimsy in our bottling and labeling options - check them out here.

7. Heightened Appreciation For Beer

Until now, you may have just been drinking beer. But now you're crafting it, you develop a more nuanced sense of what makes the difference between something good and something great. You'll be able to discern different aromas, flavors, and appearances of different ingredients and styles of beer. You'll find you can even distinguish the taste of varied brewing techniques. Rather than simply being a consumer, you'll be taking the first steps toward connoisseur.

8. Get Your Geek On

Many a frustrated scientist has found his fix in his home beer brewing den. Whilst the basics are simple the master, brewing beer does give you the opportunity to research and experiment, with potentially awesome results! If you find yourself thinking about spoilage organisms, beer additives, and buffers you know you're well and truly immersed in the science bit.

The Bottom Line

Heading out for a beer with the guys is great, but nothing beats the satisfaction of crafting your own signature brew right in your own home. With new skills to be learned, money to be saved and good times with new friends to be had now's the time to get your homebrew on. We've got everything from starter kits to niche ingredients to give your homebrew its own special quality.